Exhaust - too strong?!?!

[Stephen Beckham]

Well, not really - it's just right!

During my recent move to the new store, I moved from a 200 sq/ft area to a 800 sq/ft building - yea!... But the previous building was 1200 sq/ft so the extractor didn't create much of a vaccum of notice. Now that I'm in that tiny building... It doesn't take long for the extractor to replace the conditioned air to the outside and new warm air to the inside...

I'm in the process of designing a 'input' pipe right in front of the laser so it pulls in the hot air really close to the flow of the laser so it should pull that hot air right back out. I'm going to put a hatch on it to shut if off when not in use. I'm figuring a 2" or 3" that I can put a dust vac snout on - snout facing into the intake of the laser might work. I don't care to match 4" to 4" - I'm more worried about being able to move it if needed.

Anyone else delt with this problem? Any other ideas on creating an air flow pattern that won't kill my electric bill?

[Joe Pelonio]

Remember that you don't want to be cooling your tube with hot outside air, it needs the conditioned air. In my setup I have a small window 4' to the right of the laser, 2' higher that I keep open about 1", that lets fresh air in. but it has a chance to mix with the conditioned air before hitting the laser. The A/C is in a window way across the room, and has enough power to keep the room cool despite the open window, but then it has yet to go above 85 here this summer.

[Mike Null]

Steve

It sounds like you have way to much cfm on the blower. I would consider a smaller blower rather than reducing sizes of the intake.

I am amazed that there aren't a lot more stories like yours when I read of all the people who are using HF blowers designed for dust extraction for woodworking tools. Spend the $350 or so and buy an inline blower from Grainger that produces 300 to 400 cfm. It's more efficient and you can actually carry on a conversation while it's running.

Don't under-estimate the value of reduced db in your shop.

[Stephen Beckham]

Joe - thought about that, but I figured that having the air come in just under the laser with the snout spreading out the warm air, it would mix better before going into the laser. Not sure, but it doesn't seem to have any cooling effect for the 45 laser - the airflow doesn't go anywhere near the fans/cooling coil.

Mike - never thought of that - I have two extractors. The one that came with the system is still installed in the bus. The one I'm using now came from a buddy who was using it for two smaller lasers. It was originally installed over 20' from the laser, but in the new building - it's right behind the laser (through a wall into a backroom). I have noticed that it seems louder from airflow, but I can't hear the system itself because of being in the backroom. I might breakdown and try to swap them since I'm still trying to sell the bus.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll take some pictures when I've got something. The only problem is the customers won't stop coming long enough for me to finish moving in and fix up the rest of the building... Not a bad problem to have I might add...


The new building is great! Business is booming! But I found out that my landlord would only sign a one year lease for a reason - they are tearing down the building next year to put a Huddle House up. It's cool - I'll have time to build up a stronger client base then move about a mile up the road to an empty lot. I figure if I start in a month or two, I can have a new building up and operation in plenty of time...

[Mike Null]

Steve

Glad to hear things are going so well at the new location. Good that you know the owners plans too.

[Peter Meacham]

Mike, you don't happen to have the stock number of that Granger blower handy do you. There are so many models in those big industrial catalogs that it is hard to find anything quickly. Don't look if you don't already have the info.

Thanks, Pete

[Mike Null]

Pete

The brand is KanalFlakt model K6. I believe this has been replaced by another model. It is a 6" inline blower. Very quiet.

I use a 4" flex metal duct to the 6" transition.